ALTERNATIVES TO WIREDWESTWhat are the options?Some private sector for-profit companies are taking notice of the groundwork laid by WiredWest, the member towns, and the $40 million authorized by the state for last mile broadband. Several have begun suggesting they have better business plans for constructing and operating their fiber network than WiredWest.

Close scrutiny of competing business models is something town leaders must do. WiredWest welcomes comparisons to alternative proposals. Our Select Board has just issued a RFI (Request For Information) to all interested companies. This tool will help our town leaders evaluate all potential ISPs (Internet Service Providers).

Private Sector Companies in The Mix

No private sector companies have yet responded to New Marlborough’s RFI. Two companies have submitted proposals for operating the network for Egremont. Both have also met with our Select Board but have yet to submit proposals. Click here to review the proposals they submitted to Egremont. You will find them under the heading: "Alternatives to WriedWest."

How a Regional Cooperative Differs from a Single Town Network

Small towns in western Massachusetts increasingly recognize the need to regionalize a variety of public services. WiredWest applies this concept to providing telecommunications services. Rather than restricting the design, construction and operation of the network to a single township, it is able to design-in the many advantages larger scale brings to the project at the outset.

The Advantages of Scale

Were New Marlborough to operate its own service, the one-town network would have a maximum of 1039 customers. The comparable number for the WiredWest network is about 20,000 households. That’s what's meant by scale. Here are some things that the vastly larger customer base allows:

With a lot of groundwork from volunteers and town governments, WiredWest is the one regional Internet Service Provider ready to offer the advantages of scale, community-ownership, universal coverage, and affordable services to its member towns.

ALTERNATIVES TO WIREDWESTWhat are the other options?

With the announcement last summer that the State Legislature authorized $40 million for last mile broadband in unserved Western Mass towns, private sector for-profit companies took notice. Several have begun meeting with neighboring towns, suggesting they had better business plans for constructing and operating their fiber network than WiredWest.

Some towns are taking these proposals seriously, including looking at the newly launched Leverett network. In New Marlborough, what should we think about this? First, there is absolutely nothing wrong with other options. Close scrutiny of competing business models is something town leaders have the obligation to do.

​Our select board needs to feel confident that they fully understand the options and understands the pluses and minuses of each approach, WiredWest welcomes comparisons to alternative proposals. Our Coop as been completely open and transparent from day one. It's part of our core philosophy. WiredWest feels strongly that in any fair comparison, the coop's approach will win out.

We do ask that our town leaders—and the MBI who is controlling the $40 million in taxpayer dollars the legislature voted for broadband in unserved towns—to subject other companies, and their plans, to the same degree of scrutiny as WiredWest has been and continues to be.

Fiber in LeverettProbably the best place to begin is to look at the plan Leverett recently adapted because it is up and running. The Leverett fiber network live. Limited service began in the sprint of 2015. Already, in December, 650 of 800 households have taken service; 81% of all households have subscribed in less than a year. That bodes well for the future of broadband in Leverett. On the face of it, that looks really good. But would this model work in New Marlborough?

Two companies have gone so far as to submit proposals for operating the network our neighbor Egremont. Both have also met with our Select Board, but have yet to submit proposals. Click here to review the proposals they submitted to Egremont. You will find them under the heading: "Alternatives to WiredWest."